Ghost stories
by Devinedragon
Summary: Each chapter is an ended ghost story. Chapter IV: The invisible ghost...
1. Chapter 1

**Warnings**: Probably, I can't find any but it's I who wrote it… and I dragged you into the story as well… if you want to know who you are and what I've done to you read… XD… oh, and this is a ghost story… Booooh…

**Disclaimer**: I have not written DNAngel. All rights to the story belong to Yukiru Sukisaki and company. This is just a non-profit fanfic. The basic storyline is an old ghost-story… you might recognize it…

**The Hearse.**

**Krad watched you disappear**** out of sight before he turned to his host inside:**

**So now I'm just unexplainable feelings and thoughtlessness?**

**A moment of silence and the answer came:**

**No, you're what you've always been…**

**Hnh… He was quiet a moment before he continued; I still haven't forgiven you for forcing me to rescue all that art from the crypt you know… even if it was fun to call up a storm and burn down the house…**

**I know… A smile. I know…**

**He will not find anything…. Krad didn't have to explain who he was.**

**No. I feel a little bad though, giving him this puzzle when he can't solve it… **

**Krad sees the smile his host sends him and answers ironically: Yes, you seem very sad…**

**Laughter.**

**Silence.**

**Why did you tell him and why the hideous clothes?**

**An answer.**

**Oh, and you call me mean!**

**He rose from the bench and walked away with a small chuckle…**

But all this came after you have left the scene… this were things you never got to know about… and never knew…

…

-.-.-.-.-.-

Let's start from the beginning shall we?

You remember how it all began?

There was a sound… and the sharp smell of newly fallen rain…

Thump…

Thump… thump…

Heartbeats echoed in your ears.

Thump…

Thump thump…

Thump thump…

-.-.-.-.-.-

**You met him during a walk. **

**He was sitting on a bench in a quite deserted area. **

**After deciding he looked harmless, you sat down as well. For a moment there was silence, but then a soft old mans voice reached your ears.**

"**Are you new in town?"**

**You st****artle a little, wondering if it's you he's talking to or if you just missed the signal of his mobile-phone. He turns his head and sees at you, lifting a delicate blue eye-brow. Icy blue hair, quite long to be on a man, falls down into his eyes. Thin glasses are perched on his nose; shielding the most vivid blue eyes you've seen… he reminds you somehow of someone you knew a long time ago… a cold lonesome boy…**

"**Hmm… yeah, ****you could say that. Moved back here a month ago…"**

"**I see… Have you heard about the ghost wagon that used to roll upon these streets?"**

"**What? No…" you say with a little laugh. "I don't believe in ghosts… I'm more afraid of real people…"**

"**Hmm… understandable…" He nods as you take the time to check him out. Is this someone you should walk away from or was you first impression true? You somehow know that if you started to walk now, he would let you go… so even if the subject is a little weird, he's not weird. **

"**Do you… would you mind if I told the story to you? Do you have some time?"**

**You think on the stacks of paper that waits for your return at home… work; more work and boxes to unpack… you took this time to let the air clear your thoughts… truth to be told you don't have time for neither the walk nor the story. But you had to take this time. You had to take a break or else… **

"**Sure" you say. If the story is too boring or unrealistic… **_**ghosts, yeah right**_**… you still have the opportunity to shut your ears, breath and let him do the talking…**

**He nods and looks straight ahead. He will tell the story, but whether you listen or not is up to you… he knows it, you know it…**

"I've lived almost my whole life in this town. I've moved away sometimes, but I've always come back for some reason. It's a small town where everyone knows everyone… or at least knows about everyone. Anyway, it all happened thirty years ago…

I had just moved back after spending some years in France… and as most people I used to talk to where no longer around, I became acquainted with a girl called Harada. She was an old classmate of mine who worked at the café where I used to eat. It was located close to the police-station where I worked so it became a habit to go there. I had never spent much time with Miss Harada in school so I don't think she recognized me, but she often dropped by my office for a chat even if she never stayed for long. I noticed that she'd gain a habit of glancing on her watch every so often. Well, I guessed she was busy and had a lot to do.

I had become quite good in the kitchen after my time in France. And to get an opportunity to dine with someone else than… myself… I often invited both her and her older sister to dinner, but she always declined my offer. Then one day she asked if I could quit my work a little earlier as she wanted to invite me to dinner at her and her sister's house. Their house lay almost in the other end of the town compared to mine and bad communications would force me to walk. The weather was warm and nice even if it was autumn, so I gladly accepted her invitation. The stroll to their newly built and very modern house was relaxing. I had calculated the time perfectly and knocked on the door at five o'clock as were appointed. The sisters were glad to have me as their guest and Riku, the older sister, had prepared a nice dinner. We enjoyed our time until we sat down for the dessert…"

**You can't help but as****k "Didn't the younger Miss Harada cook?"**

**The man glances at you with a dry smile. "Yes and no… Risa, as her name was, always loved standing in the kitchen. That's why she started to work at the café. But anything else than sandwiches had a… an exotic taste so to speak…"**

**You smile when he continues his story:** "Anyway, it was during the dessert that I noticed that both Miss Haradas had started to glance at their watches… needless to say I was a little disappointed and wondered silently if they wanted me to leave. Nothing in their manner showed that this was the case though. But as they kept glancing at their watches I found that I had to ask them if they had planned anything else. They both denied this and explained their behaviour with 'it darkens very quickly at this time of year and you have a long way home'. I laughed and told them that I wasn't afraid of the dark. I stayed a little bit longer. But the enjoyable atmosphere had vanished, so around half past ten o'clock I thanked them both and started my walk home.

The night was warm and I glanced into shop windows as I passed them on my way home. The town was strangely deserted but I assumed that most people had to work in the morning and went to bed early. The church-clock rang to mark that only one hour was left to midnight and I quickened my pace as I began to feel tired. I had walked well over half the distance when I started to hear an odd sound. It was the sound of hooves on asphalt and the creaking of a wagon made of tree. I told myself that it was probably one of the farmers attending the market that had gotten drunk and forgotten the time and only now was on his way home. Even if it was odd to have a horse-drawn carriage, there were one or two farmers that kept the traditions to the tourists' pleasure.

As I continued my walk I noticed that the carriage seemed to have the same way as I. It was even more odd as I knew that my house where the only one that was lived in down the road. The other buildings were offices, museums… official buildings… and even closer to my home was the church with its large graveyard just outside town. There was no farmer that lived in my direction. Still, the sound of hooves came slowly closer. Finally I stopped and waited for the carriage… I thought maybe the driver was still drunk and didn't know which way he was heading…

But what came out from the darkness was not a stray farmer, it was a black hearse drawn by four black horses. I cannot say I was petrified or even afraid of the sight. But something made me back up to the display-window of the post-office as the horses slowly passed by. The charioteer was also wrapped in black. The only colour was his hair; long violet bangs that peeked out from under his high hat…"

**He stops talking and glances at you as you make a sound in the back of your throat. You only know of one… person that has violet hair… only one… and he disappeared thirty years ago…**

"I see I don't need to tell you who it was." **He nods and continues his story with a sigh**: Anyway, the hearse passed me by and turned left when it came to the next crossroad… when it had disappeared behind a building; I ran after it… nothing was there… the road was empty… I continued straight ahead and reached my home without any troubles except the ones inside my head…

The next day dropped Miss Harada by my office as usual. I thanked her for the dinner but I said nothing about what I had seen that evening. Idle chat filled the room for some time, but I soon realized why she had come… and it didn't take long before she carefully asked if I had come home as I planned. I said yes. She asked me if I had seen anything unusual, but I only mentioned that I had found the town strangely deserted. She didn't say anything else and silence surrounded us. After some time she nodded and prepared to leave. I told her to sit down and said:

'I saw it. The hearse…' She sighed and wiped her forehead with a tired gesture. She nodded and said 'Oh… so you saw it too…'

'But what does it mean?'

'I don't know.' She said and shook her head. 'It started suddenly for two months ago. I was one of the first ones to see it. I tried to walk up to the carriage. But I couldn't, something stopped me, like an invisible wall around the hearse. I tried to talk to D… the driver, but he didn't answer. The hearse just passed me by and was gone. In the beginning it wasn't something you told people about, that you had seen the hearse that is... But then superintendent Saehara saw it one night… and he made things hum when he tried to find out why it had come… It came out that there were many that had seen it, always after dark and in roughly the same area. Saehara and some men tried to locate the carriage for five nights. They did only see the hearse the last night. But they could neither walk up to the hearse nor talk to the driver… and it has stayed this way ever since… as you can understand we don't go out during the dark hours….'

'But there has to be something that can be done to stop it…'

'Well what?' she looked sad.

'Well, we're both grown ups that don't believe in ghosts and hallucinations…'

'Would you call this a hallucination?' She asked me sweetly. I sighed and admitted:

'No, I guess I cannot do that. Several people, including myself, have seen it. Was it anything special that happened when it started?'

'…No… not what I can remind me of…'

'Listen, tomorrow let us visit the registrar's office and ask if there were any deaths two months ago…' I could see that Miss Harada wasn't too happy about this prospect, but she nodded anyway.

The next day we met the priest, Mr Fukuda. He was very sceptical about the hearse since he was one of those who hadn't seen it. But he nevertheless gave us access to the information we wanted without any complains. I went through the information; everyone was common and normal citizens. I stopped at one name…

'What about this one; Daisuke Niwa, age 20?'

'Ah, yes.' Said Mr Fukuda. 'I remember him. A classmate to my wife and Miss Harada here.' Miss Harada nodded with tears in her eyes. 'He was a nice man, sociable and… nice… his parents and his grandfather died last year in a boat-accident at sea… they never found the bodies so they couldn't be buried… we had a ceremony for them of course but… no real funeral and that… that was quite hard for Mr Niwa. He lived his whole life here and… and… well, you would have thought he would do great things in the world…after all, he had his whole life in front of him.'

'How did he die?' I had to ask.

'Very suddenly. A heart-attack, at home. The doctor said he died within seconds. It was his girlfriend, Miss Riku Harada that found him on the floor… That makes you feel a little bit better though. Knowing that he didn't had to suffer… Poor soul.' Replied Mr Fukuda. He shook his head and added with a bit of sarcasm 'But you seriously don't think it Mr Niwa that is the one driven around by the hearse, do you?'

'That is what we're trying to find out. Where did he live?'

'In his parents' old home.' Said Miss Harada. 'we tried to get him to move out of it… there were too many memories attached to that house… but he refused to listen to us…'

'What will happen to the house now?' I asked them.

'I think it's planned to be torn down… and a new, modern house will be built on the ground…'

'Had he money to the funeral?' I suddenly asked… why I don't know.

'No, since he was so young and he lived on the insurance money from his parents…'

'He didn't work… he grieved his parents too much and had taken the time to settle down… to get an idea what he could do…'

'…Yes… anyway, the parish stood for the funeral…'

I don't know why I was so thoughtless and muttered 'in that case it can't have been much of a funeral…'

I noticed my little slip when the priest straightened up and said in a short tone 'It was a very honourable funeral'.

I didn't answer, but suggested that we should go to Niwa's old home. Mr Fukuda wasn't too keen to come with us but Miss Risa Harada agreed with me. After we had arranged to pick up Miss Riku Harada, who had the key, even Mr Fukuda agree to come. 'Only to make sure that there was one sane person in the group' as he put it. It turned out that Miss Riku Harada had seen the hearse a couple of times… and she was more than willing to help us in finding the solution when we had explained the situation to her.

The house was a bit worn down but it wasn't in a condition that it had to be torn down. One could see that no one had been here since Miss Riku Harada had cleaned for the last time. The dust hung in the air and filtered the sunbeams that had managed to sneak through the windows' curtains. We searched through everything from the clothes in the wardrobe to the plates on the shelves. But there was nothing unusual with the place.

Miss Riku Harada confirmed that the house was destined to be torn down and every personal item in it would be burned since there was no one who would inherit the building. There hadn't just been time to fix everything yet.

A thought that it was short of time ran through my mind, but, I couldn't understand what I meant with that…

We reached an agreement that all four of us would take a stroll the next night, just to show Mr Fukuda that we weren't crazy and made things up and left the building.

The next night at eleven o'clock we met up outside Niwa's home and started to walk in the direction of the church. It was in this area where the hearse was usually seen. Usually. It was a chilly evening; fog rose from the streets and hung in the air. We couldn't see any one else outside, they were at home, warm and safe.

The priest muttered to himself as he walked a bit behind us. And truth to be told, I felt a bit silly where I walked. Four grown ups on a ghost hunt… maybe the hearse wouldn't show up this night… maybe it was a hallucination… even if I had seen the same as those who had lived their whole life in this town… We'd walked almost fifteen minutes when we heard it; the sound of hooves and a wooden carriage. All four stopped as on a given commando.

And out from the fog and the darkness came four black horses and behind them, the black hearse. The charioteer sat in his black cloak that didn't give any indications to the lean body underneath it. I saw Mr Fukuda try to walk up to the carriage with an arm raised as if he wanted to take the reins of the nearest horse. But he stopped a meter before it and stood shock-still until the carriage had passed us by. Only then, sank his arm down again. He turned around and watched us; his face was white. He couldn't say anything; he just shook his head every now and then.

None of us could sleep very much that night. I lay awake in my bed and thought about the strange things I had seen and what they meant. In the early morning I got up, left a note about that I would be late to my office and went to Niwa's house. I didn't have the key, but I got in with the help of a couple of tools I had brought with me. Yes, what I did was illegal but I needed to get this puzzle solved. It was like there was something inside me that needed the conclusion. The door soon opened and without any witnesses I got in.

Inside I stood still for a moment to gain an idea where I should look since I had no idea what I searched for. A basket of wood beside the empty open fire soon caught my eyes and I started to empty its contents. Log after log was lifted down to the floor and in the bottom of the basket was a box of steel. I reached down, took the box and sat down on the nearest chair. I opened the box and was glad that I already sat down; the box was full with paper money, bundles of them. On top of the money was a letter from Mr Daisuke Niwa addressed to the finder. The letter read about his parents and his anguish that they weren't properly buried. It also stood that when he was about to get buried, he wanted a grand funeral with lots of flowers, a nice coffin, lots of singing, lots of people and afterwards should there be dinner and coffee.

I rose from the chair. I knew I had found the solution to the mystery of the hearse. Mr Daisuke Niwa was just unsatisfied with the funeral he had had. He had saved his money so he could get a grand funeral. A funeral like the one his parents couldn't have. But he had been cheated because Death had come too quickly and far too soon… And Mr Niwa had probably assumed that someone would find the letter and the money before the first funeral…

I put down the letter into the box and took the box under my arm. I went straight to the police-station, met Mr Saehara and told him about my findings and what I thought about them. It turned out that Mr Saehara agreed with me that I had indeed found the solution that this was why Mr Niwa hunted the streets of the town.

'But what should we do now, how can we make him stop?' wondered the superintendent.

'Dig up Mr Niwa and re-bury him according to his wishes. That's the only option.' I told him.

After a lot of formalities and red tape, Mr Daisuke Niwa was granted his grand funeral. Sure, there weren't any hearse drawn by four horses, instead there was the undertakers car. But there were the procession and the choir sang as good they could. There were a lot of people and flowers. After the funeral was there dinner and coffee. And the people could yet again go out during the dark hours."

**The blue-haired man**** stops talking and you notice you have a small smile on your lips. **

**You watch as the man gets up and starts walking away without any other word. You watch him go do****wn the street. After all, he has told you about your old classmates. You lean back on the bench and thinks back on Niwa, both Harada-girls and Hiwatari. You heard about Daisukes death a couple of weeks after you had moved away from this town. Suddenly you realize that the old man isn't older than you and that he indeed is the one person you thought he reminded you of. Hiwatari. His clothes and his speak-pattern screamed old man, not the face and not the body. For crying out load, he even told you that he was your classmate… or classmate to Harada, which was your classmate…**

"**Hey! Hiwatari, wait up!" You call out. He halts for a moment to wave at you before he continues his strides. You get up and start running after him as he turns around a street-corner. But when you turn around the same corner no blue-hair is there to be found… only an eighteen-year old boy with long golden hair and a cross tied into the strands of hair. He smirks as he passes you where you stand in the middle of the road. You think he looks… not familiar but there is something… You also know you haven't seen him before… You ask him if he has seen your old classmate. He has not. Your phone calls and you answer it: **

"**Yeah, Saehara here… Oh hi dad… yeah, I'll drop by you tomorrow, after I've sent the papers the photographs they want to have… yeah, okay, I'll do that… bye dad…" **

**You turn around again, heading back the same way you came. The boy is sitting on the bench. The thought that he looks like an angel runs thro****ugh your head… and you know you have seen him somewhere… or rather, someone just like him… someone you wanted to see… a long time ago… **

**It will take days before you remember the white winged… person that hunted Dark… when you were a teenager…**

**Dark… why did he drive the hearse with Dai-chan inside? The questions come like a waterfall… and even when you hear the same story from your dad and other classmates' mouths you realize something… **

**Satoshi Hiwatari didn't solve the puzzle why Dark where driving Daisuke around the town… he just buried the most important pieces together with Niwa… and that you are so very far to late to be able to solve it…**** and yet, you can't let go of it…**

**

* * *

**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I have not written DNAngel. All rights to that story belong to Yukiru Sukisaki and company. This is just a non-profit fanfic. The basic storyline is an old ghost-story… you might recognize it…

**Warnings**: Traditional ghost-stories and an insane author Goosebumps? Yeah, let's hope so. Now, on with the next story… it has nothing to do with the first chapter… but I hope it's just as spooky… enjoy…

_Italics_ – thoughts

**The Letter**

**Closing the door behind you, you stand in the study with ****all the work you had brought home. It was time to work. **

**Sliding down in the comfortable chair and you start to go through all the letters you had received to your own little corner in the Azumano Paper; "Ask Saehara about anything". **

**O****ne of the envelop captures your eyes… it is a strange envelope with very thin flourished letters written on it. **

_**Hmm… I did not know there was a pen that could write such thin letters… wonder why they used it… must have been a hell for the postman to read it… **_

**A grin spreads itself over your mouth ****as you rip open the envelope, and silently wonder if you really want to read it should the writer have used the same pen throughout the letter. **

**Luckily for you, the letter inside are written with another, thicker pen… but you can easily tell that it has been someone else that wrote the letter. The typing inside is completely different from the one on the envelope.**

_**Strange…**_

**All the**** letters are sent to the paper, but this envelope has neither stamps nor postmarks on it… with a shrug you let it slip, maybe someone took it to the paper personally…**

**You return your focus to the letter. **

**It reads: **

"Azumano 12th of March"

**You glance down at your ****watch; the small date show that it is March 19****th**** … the letter had taken it's time…**

"Hello Saehara.

My name is Risa Hiwatari…"

**Your eyebrows take a trip up in your hairline. **

_**Risa Hiwatari… so Risa and Satoshi got married after all**__**… who would have thought that…**_

"…and I write to you because you have to help me. I don't know what to do anymore. I live in an apartment, two rooms and a kitchen… I like my home. The problem is Hiwatari Satoshi. I am a widow now. My husband died last spring in his sleep. Yes, it is almost a year since he died… he went away March 18th…"

**You sigh, wondering a little where this letter is heading. **

_**If she had been a widow for almost a year now… **_

**You ****can only hope that Risa isn't trying to get your help to charm another boy…**

_**But that would be too desperate even for her… **_

**Then you remember how she was ****with Dark… and what Dai-chan had to do to help her… Another sigh slips through your lips.**

"… It is like this; I can't sleep any longer. Every night when I have gone to bed and turned of the lights, I try to sleep. But I can't. In the darkness I can hear someone breathing beside me. It's just as if someone slept with calm, deep breaths in Satoshi's bed.

My father-in-law Kei Hiwatari tells me that it is my imagination. That I'm used to having Satoshi sleeping beside me for so many years. That I remember the sound of him sleeping there…

He also gave me some pills that would help me to sleep. But I flushed those down the toilette. I am a little scared about pills. Satoshi had to take so many pills during his last years…"

**You put down the letter and rub your eyes. The letter is hard to read and even though ****you have good light in the room it doesn't help much. Risa had adopted a spelling that would have been right at home during the eighteenth century. You walk out from the room and into the kitchen to prepare a cup of tea. Well back you light a cigarette. And almost against your own will have you become interested about Risa's sleeping-problem. As you watch the smoke-rings rise to the roof, you start, in your mind, to formulate a reply to your old classmate... **

**You pick up the letter and continue your reading…**

"I… can't sleep this night either… and since I just read your column in the paper… I thought I should write to you… I can't sleep anyway…

It is completely silent…

The only sound I can hear is the thin sound of the pen as it's pushed over the paper as I write.

It's silent even from the apartment above. Niwa Daisuke and my twin-sister Niwa Riku lives up there… they can make some noise, sometimes… but tonight it dead calm… no party, no music, no singing, no cries from their new-born baby… no sound that tells me that they are living up there…

Oh, my dear Satoshi and I could make quite some noise too… he could play the violin like no other and I used to enjoy that little talent of his… It was a wonderful to wake up and hear the violin the first thing in the morning… he was always an early riser…

But tonight everything is silent…

Now, the watch in the other room strikes 22:30. It's a nice watch. Satoshi made it during his last years… I have painted it in gold after his death; otherwise it is just as he made it. The tone is thin but pleasurable…

I am in the kitchen while I write this letter… and I think I shall make myself some coffee… even though it's late and I really should try to get some sleep…

It may sound ridiculous to make coffee now when I just have told you about my sleeping-problems…. But I remember that Satoshi, when he was alive and well, used to make coffee when we had troubles to sleep… and we used to sleep after that… the whole night…

Oh, it's so cold…

Wait, what was that?

… I can hear the sounds of steps…

… Quiet… cautions steps…

… As if someone is trying to sneak…

Heh, no… it is probably just my own imagination…

… But… there… I can hear it again…

… No, someone is here… here, in this apartment…

There. The sound of someone hitting against a chair…

No.

There is someone here…

A thief maybe, or a beer-drunken youth, or a drug-addict

No… the steps are coming… towards me…

Is it a murderer… will the neighbours hear me if I scream?

Who is it?

Who is…

No…

No…

No…

Satoshi.

Satoshi…

Satoshi is coming… to get his revenge…

I'm sorry …

Satoshi… I'm so sorry…

Go… Satoshi. Leave me be…

I'm so sorry

I didn't mean to kill you…

I just wanted you to sleep… to sleep peacefully for one single night…

Satoshi.

I didn't know, Satoshi, that ten pills were lethal …

Satoshi.

No.

Satohi… don't touch me…

You can't…

No…

No Sato…"

**The letter ends**** with that half-written word. The pen had slide over the paper and had made a big plump of ink…**

_**What had happened… and who had**__**… sent the letter**_

**During the reading had you started to get nervous… and it was with shivering hands you searched for Risa's address on the net. **

**You want**** to phone her. **

**To hear if she was okay. **

**Or see if everything was a big joke… if it was… well, it had gotten you worried… **

**As no one**** answered the phone, you slip into your coat and drive to the address you had found. It's the same apartment Hiwatari had had when you were young and attended school… You and Dai had visited him once, when Hiwatari had been sick… or maybe, had taken a day of school, since he hadn't seemed very ill when you saw him that day…**

**Few signs showed the passage of time since those days… **

**A clean scent invade you nose as you walk up to the right door. 'Hiwatari' is written on the outside.**

**You press the doorbell and waits... **

**Nothing happens****…**

**You press the doorbell again and knock on the door.**

**Steps are heard as a tall, young man with long golden hair comes up the stair.**

"**Hnh… it's no use to knock on that door" He says when he sees you. "The chick that lived there was removed yesterday. About time too, she had died several weeks ago. You can't imagine the smell… Disgusting…" The boys golden eyes was on you. "Are you… a relative?" He asks.**

**You shake your head****. He grins and continues his way up.**

**Thoughtful you turn around, prepared to leave…**

**The lock in the door ****clicks…**

**It has been unlocked…**

**The door slowly opens and a brunette ****is standing in the darkness behind it.**

"**Hello Takeshi, I'm Risa Hiwatari." **

**She takes ****your cold hand…**

"**Satoshi and I have waited for you…" she continues as you can hear the door closing behind you…**

**Click.**

…

**The end.**

**DD: **Well… interpret that how you like it… and send me a review… send me a review even if you don't know how to interpret it…. Just send me a comment… I love comments… XD I seem to like to have Saehara's POV... -shrug-


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: I have not written DNAngel. All rights to that story belong to Yukiru Sukisaki and company. This is just a non-profit fanfic. The basic storyline is an old ghost-story… you might recognize it…

**Warnings**: Traditional ghost-stories and an insane author goosebumps? Yeah, let's hope so. Now, on with the next story… it has nothing to do with the first chapters… but I hope it's just as spooky… enjoy…

_Italics_ – thoughts

**A real ghost-story..**

**The rain splatters**** against the windows. The drop that has fallen from the gray heaven above ends the journey in a violent crash. **

**You stare out, not seeing anything… **

**Do not want to see anything…**

_**Perfect weather…**__**it wouldn't fit with sunlight today… or tomorrow… or any other day…**_

**You take off your black clothes and sighs…**

**You lean back in a chair and let your thoughts wander uncontrolled.**

**A face pops into your mind… **

**You're not surprised… after all…**

**Then, a memory comes into focus and unsure whether you want to remember this again you tense up. **

**Cautious you allow the memory to unfold itself…**

… Laughter filled the room as the six youths walked into it and sat down in the different chairs that were placed around the room. Small lamps were lit and gave the room a homely feeling…

Daisuke Niwa's and Riku Harada's families had bought a small house as a gift to their wedding.

When they were shown the house for the first time Riku had declined the gift. She had pointed out that the apartment they already lived in was fine… (When one expects a toaster and is given a house…you understand why she'd declined, Riku was proud…) Daisuke had wanted to decline the offer too, but he knew his mother better… Well, not taking 'no' for an answer, Emiko had only pointed out that kids needed a lot of space and had continued to show them the house.

The house was located a bit away from town as it had been almost impossible to find anything similar anywhere else. As it was quite old, there were some things that needed to be fixed before the couple could move in. Both families and friends help the best they could so today, when everything were fixed, had Daisuke and Riku invited some of their friends to 'warm up' the house, before they would move in after the wedding next month.

After the dinner had everyone moved to the living-room as there was neither television nor computer to gather around…

_**Heh…**_

**You still remember the reaction Hiwatari had when he saw your face ****after Harada had told you that there was no entertainment in the house, except for the people in it… It had been the first time you had heard him chuckle…**

_**Oh well…**_

**Even now… so long time afterwards, you ****can not understand why Risa suddenly had changed the subject, turned to you and said:**

"Saehara, can't you tell us a ghost-story?"

**Maybe it had been the room itself. It was evening outside, and the darkness gave the almost bare house a haunted feeling… ****and despite that you had gathered in the most lived in room in the house… there was something with the echoes… a feeling that indicated that no one lived here… yet…**

"Well… I don't know any good stories…" you said with a grin…

"I do not believe in ghosts" had Riku said with determination in her voice.

"You never know though. How should I say this…? My grandmother always claimed she could see spirits, hear them… and according to her, this ability runs in the family… not that I have seen anything… but I have been in some situations that would be difficult to explain if you understand what I mean…" You leaned back in the chair and let your grin get wider.

Hiwatari snorted for some odd reason, while Daisuke seemed to act almost hunted for a second…

You wanted them to beg you for a story, insist to hear one. You had this idea that the one who told a ghost-story should be demanded to do so. That you should act like there really was an incredible story to be told, but that you wasn't sure whether you could tell it… because it was so terrible that you could scare them witless… you played on their curiosity and the thrill…

"Oh no… now you have to tell us the story." Said Risa.

Fukuda and Daisuke joined the demands for a story:

"Well, I don't know… I can tell you a story, but I'm not sure if it can be named a real ghost story… since it happened in reality… But it was terrifying for those who had to deal with it…"

You glanced around in the room. The setting was suited. It was dark outside and the small weak lamps didn't manage to penetrate all the shadows in the room. Still… it became even better when a wind started to rattle the windows and the lonely cry of a dog echoed muted through the room…

"The story I will tell you happened to my dad. It was about forty years ago, when he was doing his military duty. He hurt his knee during some sort of competition and became hospitalized in the military hospital…

It wasn't any serious injury, you know… warm towels wrapped around the knee and do a lot of resting for a couple of days…

He was in a room with ten other guys… none of them had any serious injuries. They could all walk around during the days in the garden or in the building… the best they could that is… none of the doctors stopped them from doing it. They also found their way up to the attic, which as located above the room where dad and his friends slept. It was just an ordinary old attic with beams high up and slanting walls. The beams moaned when the wind rushed by and a huge half-circular window covered one of the short-ends and let in the sunlight… and that was lucky too, for the hospital didn't have any electricity up there… my dad always told me he always got the feeling of walking into a small church each time they entered the attic.

Still, there were some desks here for students and the teacher as the room was used by the hospital for lectures… and a real human skeleton was placed in front of the window…"

You stopped for a moment, and glanced around at your friends faces while taking a sip from the glass in your hand.

Everyone except Hiwatari seemed to enjoy your little story. But he's quiet and listening... and you have to admit, you're not very good in reading him… He might hate your story, he might love it, or he might talk to the voices in his head… Who knows? Who cares? The rest are spellbound by the story…

"Well, since neither my dad nor the guys staying at the hospital were very… troubled of the skeleton, they had seen worse things after all. But one of them had no more respect for the dead than he had given this skeleton a cigarette which it had between its teeth… and the cigarette stayed there…

One night when they were about to go to bed, one of the guys came up with the idea that someone should go and get the skull…

They collected a pot that counted for almost three weeks of salary to the one who dared…"

You straighten your back, takes a sip from the glass in your hand and say, almost thoughtfully:

"My dad told me the sum when he told me this story… I'm not going to tell you the sum, because it was so little money you'll laugh… but they didn't earn very much back then either…

But that doesn't matter… and neither did the money… these guys could meet any enemy, in any situation and in any weather out in the field…

But a dark stair to a dark floor and a dark room lit only by the moon scared them… because the skull wasn't moved that night…

But after some days and evenings, it was an evening like this one… with howling winds, darkness and moonlight, volunteered a guy named Kei to do it…"

You stopped and thought it was time to explain something:

"I was told that he was the youngest one at the hospital, much younger than any of the other. A young boy really, who had hurt his hand. I don't know if this is true but when my old man told me this I got the feeling that this Kei has landed a really high post somewhere. My old man didn't admit anything…

Anyway, this Kei, he wanted to show them how brave he was…

He wasn't afraid. He could get that skull and show the others that there weren't any monsters lurking in the dark.

So that night, all guys watched Kei as he walked up from his bed, clad only in his military pyjamas and walked out from the room. They could hear him walk up for the dark stairs and hear as his footsteps slowly disappear…

Well, it wasn't all dark… when the moon shone in through the windows into their 'bedroom' it also shone into the window in the attic…

The others waited anxiously.

Then a terrifying scream was heard through the roof.

It was Kei… all the boys sat up in their beds and listened as Kei hurled himself down the stairs and thundered closer and closer…

He rushed into the room where they slept and curled up against one of the guys…

His eyes were not like those of a normal person…

His whole body shivered violently.

It took a while before they could get anything out from him…

Then, he said: "Do… do… you know…. What it did...do you know what it did?""

Everyone else is quiet, completely focused on your story.

The small lamps had been turned off and the room became dark as a cloud hid the moon above. You didn't continue your story, but made some artistic pauses instead. You glance up and look around in the room, stared deep into the darkened corners. Then you said with a low monotonous voice.

"I think it's starting to get cold in here… And it feels uncomfortable… Has someone died in this room?"

You wondered how you would continue your story when you lift your eyes and look at a point above Daisukes head.

You glance up and points at Daisuke.

"OH GOD! WHO IS THAT BEHIND DAISUKE?"

Everyone reacted.

A brutal break of the almost reverential atmosphere in the room.

To calm them down a little, you lean forward took your glass and said:

Let's turn on the lights, shall we?" Those words calmed down the turmoil. The small lamps were lit again and everyone returned to normal heart-beating after some time.

"Oww…"

"Shit… I almost…"

"Saehara… don't scare us like that…"

But the curiosity remains and soon Fukuda turns to you and says:

"Well, what did that Kei see up there?"

You raise an eyebrow at her question. "Hmm… oh, nothing. Nothing at all. Because Kei was never up to the attic after dark. Neither he nor anyone else of them dared to get the skull. I made the whole story up. Dad said that they each night talked about it and scared each other to pieces by telling the most hair-rising ghost-stories they could come up with. The only true part in this story is that there was a skeleton in the attic. Everything else is from my imagination."

Daisuke laughs. "You should quit your reporter-career and start acting… shit Saehara, the last seemed real to me. You looked just as if you could see something behind me…"

"Yeah. You looked as if you were scared stiff."

The rest continued to compliment your story but you didn't listen any longer…

**With ****murmur that died a long time ago still resonating in your ears, you come back to reality… **

**That was the only time you visited Niwa in their new home… the first and the last time…**

**Yes, you had made that story up… **

**When you started telling your story the idea was to come up with something thrilling, ****something mysterious…**

**Then**** when the situation reached its peak you would toss in a joke… **

**Maybe by saying that Kei had walked up to the skeleton and seen it smoke the cigarette… **

**That was what you had planned…**

**But you didn't tell them the story as planned.**

**And you remember why you changed your plan…**

**Everything was not a lie. **

**The acting wasn't acting…**

**You did see something behind him…**

**Y****ou saw something behind Daisuke that night...**

**You could clearly see a young man standing behind his chair… A man with long fair hair and a long fair robe, almost like an angel or a monk… and he was watching Daisuke with his white face. **

**You still ****cannot quite pinpoint the emotion you could read in his eyes, but it was intense… and the image etched itself into your memory forever…**

**He just stood there, staring down at Dai.**

**You close your eyes and sigh.**

**You never told ****anyone what you saw…**

**None of them knew that it had taken you all your strength to make your voice calm and normal when you asked for the lights to be turned on and to not run screaming out from that house…**

**But fact remains… **

**Daisuke died within a year… in an accident… at home…**

**You wonder of you should tell his widow, Riku… but, then again… maybe you just let your imagination run away with you… **

**Even if your grandmother stated that your family has a talent to see more than what's normal…**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: I have not written DNAngel. All rights to that story belong to Yukiru Sukisaki and company. This is just a non-profit fanfic. The basic storyline is an old ghost-story… you might recognize it…

**Warnings**: the warnings for the first chapters are still valid… and this is the first chapter where 'You' are not Saehara… oh and that are mentioned but not described so you have to do the dirty-work yourself if you want to have it M-rated.

I think you're smart enough to figure out who is talking/whatever and who is not…

**The invisible ghost.**

**Yo****u open the door and he skips in, happily announcing that he had found his grandfather's diary.**

**Silently you wonder why he had ****to come to you… **

**It is not that you have said anything that could mean you are interested in his grandfather's personal life.**

**Still, he's here and you know he won't go until he's done whatever he came here to do… **

**You could only hope that he will leave soon… **

**Breath****e in.**

**Breathe out.**

**You walk over to the sofa where he sits and ask ****politely:**

"**Coffee, tea?"**

"**Nah, I don't think you have any in your pantry either…"**

**He**** smiles, opens the book and starts to read out loud. **

**You close your eyes for a moment, too quick for him too notice, and sigh quietly. You just know he's planning to read the whole book to you. You ****decide after a second to not give him any water (or whatever he wants, you do have both tea and coffee) until he will ask for it and sit down in a chair to listen if what he has is worth your time…**

"What I am going to tell is something that will require all your faith in my honesty for you to believe. I myself can wonder if it really happened, and I was there when it happened. I don't know why I am writing this down… I know I will never show anyone this book, but I feel that I have to do this… maybe for my own sake.

It happened here, in Azumano, a summer when the sky was blue and the wind was warm… when I was a young man around twenty, give or take a couple of years…

The forests surrounding the town were deep and green and the mountain was becoming a popular place for walks, both for young lovers and families. But it's not the area I want to write about. What I want to tell you, is about two girls that happened to fall in love with the same man… so insanely in love that their love lead to such malice that was revenged with even more malice that it gave birth to a hate beyond all boundaries.

**You snort mentally. ****What 'hate beyond all boundaries' can his granddad had witnessed? **_**He**_** was still sealed away at that time. The thought of letting the now old man meet Krad face to face creeps through your mind. You banish the thought from your mind as you check that **_**he **_**is asleep and will not get any inspiration from you. At least not this time… **

'**Not that I think he would do anything even if he'd heard it… But on the other hand, you never know with him…'**

"Miss Hikari was the daughter to a widow; the father had died long time ago. She was fair and was very beautiful with fine white teeth and blood-red sensual lips that made every man want her. She had a lean nice body that had all the right curves. Her mind was cold, silent and she always kept a distance to people."

'…**Hikari?' ****Your interest is peaked.**

**Something stir**** inside your mind… lazily… sleepily… but listening…**

"Ruri Yasuda was the daughter to a farmer and I think her family was richer than Miss Hikari's. In my eyes was Miss Yasuda just as beautiful but she was also quite the contrast. Her curly hair was reddish brown and she had warm brown eyes that could sparkle invitingly whenever she wanted to. Her skin was slightly tanned over her lean body. She lived with her parents and siblings in a little house where they had a couple of animals… a dog, ducks and a couple of hens…

As all of us had been in the same class at school we all knew each other…

The two young women were not exactly what you could say good friends. They had been some sort of rivals since a young age. Both of them were excellent students, Miss Hikari more so than Miss Yasuda. And even if Miss Yasuda was the more social one, did Miss Hikari get just as many admirers... maybe even more."

'_**That**__** antagonism was only because Miss Yasuda was a complete nutcase and didn't understand that my Tamer wasn't as interested in boys as she was.'**_

**S****omething is definitely awake and interested now… and you wonder if you can make it through this without gaining a headache. **

**A chough resonates in the room and he lowers the book.**

"**Umm…"**

"**Thirsty?"**

"…**Yeah…" he laughs. **

**You nod and prepare**** some warm drinks. **

'_**You know. The youngest of the twins in your class reminds me of Yasuda… She's also a nutcase…'**_

'**Hnh.'**

**You walk back and he continues.**

"Miss Hikari helped her mother with the mansion in which they lived. I think she became an artist of some sort but her main-work had something to do with the local police.

Miss Yasuda on the other hand continued to study and became after some time a teacher in the local school.

Of course this rivalry continued when the two women became old enough to start the search for a husband. And you could bet on that whenever Miss Yasuda had found a man, the poor fellow would soon be enchanted by Miss Hikari's appearance..."

**He takes his cup and takes a sip.**

'_**I notice that he hasn't written about Miss Yasuda's… habit… of comparing every man she dated with Dark… The poor suitor wasn't good-looking enough, not tall enough, not yada yada**__** yada and she told them this. Most of them fled from her…'**_

'**And I guess that everyone tried to woo the Hikari-girl?'**

'_**Almost…' A sigh. 'She was a Hikari after all. Most Hikari's are by human standards beautiful**__**. She wasn't interested though… not until he came along…' **_**The smooth voice became harsher at the end.**

'**He?'**

'_**Listen… he'll probably explain it… was quite a scandal at the time…'**_

"… And every time Miss Hikari had a suitor would Miss Yasuda do everything in her power to capture that man. But whether it was by choice or by a cruel fate, none of them seemed to be able to get a husband. In fact when they turned 25 they were both still unmarried…

But that was when it all happened that poisoned both of their lives."

'**25 and unmarried?**** What a scandal… What happened? You awoke?'**

'_**Hnh… she's a girl. I couldn't get out… and yes, this was 100-120 years ago. Women weren't supposed to care for themselves.'**_

"A young handsome painter came to the town, and during the late summer-dances that took place on the mountain did he encounter Miss Hikari and Miss Yasuda.

Shuichi, as he was known as, danced first with Miss Yasuda and then with Miss Hikari. But that night, the first night, won Miss Yasuda. Shuichi followed her home through the dark forest and what happened during that walk was something that should not have happened until after they had met the priest. But the young man could not control himself when he was faced with Miss Yasuda's glittering eyes and red lips.

The dances continued on the mountain. Shuichi danced also with Miss Hikari, who silently and carefully followed him in the dance. And when the nights grew gloomier and darker he follows Miss Hikari home. In her room at the mansion happen yet again things that shouldn't have happen. The blood was hot even in Miss Hikari's veins."

'_**You're asleep for one night and what do they do?'**_

"…and Shuichi could not control himself this time either. During these days was protection almost non-existent… so there could be consequences.

Soon, it became apparent what had happened.

Miss Hikari cried but Shuichi comforted her. They would always manage. They just had to work a little harder to produce art-pieces.

They got married in a small, quiet ceremony where he took the name Hikari."

'…_**Another scandal at the time…'**_

"It was inevitable that Mrs Hikari and Miss Yasuda would meet sometimes. The ice-cold hate that Miss Yasuda showed at those times did no one fail to notice. But that was still nothing compared to the cruel words and disrespectful actions that she let Mrs Hikari undergo when she thought there was no eyewitnesses.

Mrs Hikari suffered and kept quiet.

Maybe she felt a tad guilty… but she was in love.

Miss Yasuda vowed that Mrs Hikari would suffer as long as she lived.

Soon gave Mrs Hikari birth to a boy that was named Yoshishi.

The years passed and soon Yoshishi began to attend school.

It was in the class taught by Miss Yasuda, who had neither husband nor children, he would begin.

Miss Yasuda now transferred her hatred from Mrs Hikari to the young boy. He was ruthlessly punished for even the slightest fault. His small hands were often blue and swollen from beatings with Miss Yasuda's ruler.

One day he was forced into detention because he had answered cheekily when the teacher had asked if his father was at home sleeping when his mother was working. He saw Miss Yasuda come toward him with the ruler held high. He made a try to escape her, but got entangled in a bucket with water. The water flooded over the whole room.

Miss Yasuda grabbed hold of him and shouted that he would get a punishment that he would never again be cheeky.

She dragged him down to the nearby basement where corpses used to be stored before they were transported to the undertakers. This basement was at the time happened to be unlocked, so she pushed him inside and locked the door and walked away.

As the frightened little child that he was, despite his attempts to stand up against his teacher's unfairness, was he almost certain that he saw corpses.

He saw them everywhere, even if the basement in reality was empty for the moment.

It was dark and damped. The air was stale and weird.

He was scared stiff."

'**Why didn't you keep him company?'**

'_**I was with his mother…'**_

"No little boy came home to the Hikari's that night.

They searched for him almost the whole night.

When they finally came to the area where the basement was located they could hear cries and the sudden sound of laughter.

Laughter that sounded like a madman's scream.

It was the teacher that had come to lock up the door and let Yoshishi out.

When the Hikaris finally found their boy again was Mrs Hikari so exhausted that she almost couldn't stand on her legs. And with eyes that shone with a white-hot hatred she vowed that her old rival and arch-enemy would pay dearly for this.

But Miss Yasuda just laughed scornfully at this threat and asked:

"What can you do? You can't even tell what kind of shameful job you have at the police-station… You're just a moron who thinks she is an artist, but can't ever show a single art-piece.""

'_**Just because Yasuda couldn't afford any of them…**__** The fact that they lived in a mansion should be proof that they could sell the stuff.'**_

'**What did she work with?'**

'_**H**__**mm? Oh, hunted Dark… like most Hikari's.'**_

"Mrs Hikari nodded sharply and said with a hoarse voice:

"You're right that I cannot do anything to you now. But if I die before you do… I will be able to…"

They separated with those words."

'_**I never understood why she didn't send an art-piece after that woman…'**_

'**It would probably have killed her too…'**

'_**Exactly!'**_

'**Ugh… Quiet I want to hear…'**

'_**He drinks his chocolate… not much to hear…'**_

"Miss Yasuda wasn't that hateful towards Yoshihi after this. She became quiet and thoughtful.

The year passed and many children were made into the Hikari-family. After the last child, a girl that was named Rio, did Mrs Hikari not make it up from the bed… she died soon after the birth."

'**Rio? My mother?'**

'_**Yes…'**__**a snort. 'Many kids… they had three…'**_

"One day when Miss Yasuda was standing in her kitchen she could witness how all the doors in it slowly opened.

'Huh, I must be tired and hallucinating.' She thought and automatically walked up to the nearest door to close it. She didn't even touch it before it banged shut over her fingers, leaving them aching and throbbing.

She had never been afraid of ghosts so she went to the next door /Bang/

… And the next… /Bang/

/Bang/

/Bang/

… But the same thing happened all over again.

Her finger and knuckles were now swollen and bloodied. She turned around and noticed how the door to her wardrobe stood open.

She walks up to it to close it… but as she got closer she could hear how a low, crazy laughter resounded from deep within the wardrobe…

"Iiiiiaaaaahaahaahaahaa khkhkhkhhh"

She halted, remembered how she had laughed that time outside the basement and understood what was going on.

In her mind she saw how her ruler danced over Yoshihi's small hands.

She fell on her knees in front of the wardrobe and prayed for forgiveness and amity:

"Please…"

But the answer from the wardrobe's darkness was muted laughter… just as scornful as the first one…

"Uuaaahaaahahakhkhkhkhkhaaaa…"

She knew then that Mrs Hikari wanted revenge on the one that had tortured her so mindlessly throughout the years.

She raised her eyes and saw a sight that was worse than she could stand.

Hanging in their right places were all her lovely Sunday-clothes, shredded to thin bands.

But how could that have happened?

She fainted and landed in a heap on the hard floor."

'**Your doing?'**

'_**Actually no…**__**and I don't think it's Dark's work either…'**_

"When she awoke was all the doors closed, except the one to the wardrobe.

Her unstable legs took her to the wardrobe and she started to pluck out all her damaged clothes. She put them all in a bag which she hid in her basement.

As quick as she felt she could stand it, trotted she over to her neighbour.

"Good day. Could I borrow a jacket from you? I had a little accident with my Sunday-clothes and need to buy some new… I spilled a full bottle with ink on them when I aired them."

Miss Yasuda bought the most necessary, basic clothes and put them into the wardrobe.

The next morning stood all doors opened again. But she didn't dare to try and close them this time. She walked straight up to the wardrobe and inside hang all her newly bought clothes… shredded…on their hangers.

By this time was Miss Yasuda exhausted and worried and knew she had to ask for help…

The few friends she had eagerly agreed to stand guard at her wardrobe day and night.

But no matter how well they guarded the furniture, all the clothes Miss Yasuda put in it ended up shredded into long bands.

So they decided to powder a thin layer with flour over the floor, too see if that could give anything.

It didn't.

The clothes were ruined and the flour was undisturbed the next morning.

By now was Miss Yasuda a nervous wreck. She had hysterical attacks and was moved to a mental hospital.

When she had been removed sauntered the local politicians into the room to investigate. They wanted to prove to the people that what had been witnessed was nothing else than figments of their imaginations. But no matter how keenly the ruling men guarded the wardrobe, soon were the clothes shredded in even thinner bands.

They asked to be sent the clothes Miss Yasuda had at the mental hospital. They wanted to try a new thing. The clothes came and were put inside the attic together with clothes belonging to other people. More flour was powdered over the floor and the only entrance was guarded as before.

The next morning were Miss Yasuda's clothes shredded, but the other clothes were untouched.

The men became really frightened now and asked the priest to come. He promised to come together with his apprentice-priest to stand guard in the room.

They arrived at the evening, loaded with religious books. They put the books on a table inside the room and started to mumble their prayers.

Suddenly, at midnight, the room became lightened as if by lightning. The now totally destroyed clothes fell from their hangers. And as if swept by an invisible hand, the books flew off the table and fell, with the pages fluttering like wings, down to the floor.

The same throaty, scornful laughter that Miss Yasuda had heard rang once again out from the wardrobe.

"Uuuwakehkehkehkehkehahhhh…"

The priests fell to their knees and prayed terrified to God for forgiveness, for mercy and that Mrs Hikari's soul should find peace. That she should be able to rest in her grave.

As they prayed they could feel a change, how something released them.

They raised their eyes and watched the now almost empty table. Only one book remained on it: _Prayers for small hands._

Whatever had been in the wardrobe, it had not touched that book…

With time was Miss Yasuda permitted to leave the mental hospital. But it was arranged that she had to work in another town.

Her clothes stayed un-shredded.

However, she never become completely recovered and her last years were spent in a mental hospital in her new town.

By now can it not be anything else but earth left of the two women that loved the same man and hated each other with such ardent passion.

It's told that Mr Hikari brought up his children to respectful men and women. And that he each midsummer night, for as long as he could, walked to his wife's grave with his hands filled with white flowers.

Whatever happened, brought on by love and hate, are forever slumbering behind the veils of the unknown…"

**He stops reading with a smile and turns to you.**

"**Well what do you think?**** Would it work? Dad said I needed your permission to do it… something about the mentioning of the Hikari-girl and a grey-zone of classified information… I didn't really get it."**

**You stare at him for a moment.**

"**It's a nice story, but I still don't know why you read it to me."**

"**Oh right. I never told you. Heh. I'm planning to print it in the school-paper. You know, in a series of ghostly articles that has happened in this area."**

"… **and you think that is good and interesting journalism?" **

**He sighs. **

"**No…" he admits. "But I can't think of anything else to write about right now… and I have two pages to fill to tomorrow…"**

"**I think it's better to print some riddles, mind-games or something... horoscopes maybe. Just one finished story isn't much of a serial… and to get information about more happenings around here you would probably have to make some visits at some homes for old people… or the Library." You see how he blanches.**

"…**I didn't think of that…" He's silent for a moment. "You're right. It would take too much time to gather stories…"**

**You wait. **

**He jumps up and heads to the door. "Okay, horoscopes and mind-games it is. Thanks Hiwatari." **

**The door shuts behind him and you breathe out as you get up to lock it.**

'_**You need to do something about that diary…**_**' **

'**Why would I do that? Sure, it contains information about my family… But he'll never be able to find out anymore than what's in it…'**

'_**If you care about the Wing-master, you need to hide that piece of information from him…'**_

'**Why?'**

'_**Miss Ruri Yasuda had a sister… Her name was Akemi Yasuda and she married a certain Daikii Niwa… who, you know, is his grandfather… and I think the rest of the family switched their last-name to Haranda when the news about Ruri came out.'**_

"**What really happened?" You ask out loud.**

'_**No one **__**knows. My new Tamer tried to find out. He and little Rio were quite obsessed with it. But no Hikari art-piece was ever found in the room and no trace of one either. The wardrobe was a common type… And furthermore, those two holy men could not have exorcised anything. Two priests from a small town… No. Whatever it was, it left freely, according to its own wishes. It can probably come back.' He shrugged.**_

"**What happened to that wardrobe? Is it still around? Shouldn't we seal it?"**

'_**Seal it? No way? I want to know what it was inside it if it does come back… The Hikari's bought it. It's the antique one in your bedroom…'**_

**DD: So the reason why Krad didn't want Dai/Dark to find out about the wardrobe's history is because he doesn't want Dark to come running over to seal the thing?**


End file.
